Campylobacter jejuni isolated from human cases in Chile showed indistinguishable pulsed field gel electrophoresis profiles with strains isolated from poultry and bovine sources

Abstract

Campylobacteriosis is a common zoonotic disease whose main reservoir is the intestinal microbiota of poultry and other production animals. Campylobacter jejuni strains isolated from human infections in Chile were compared through pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) with isolates from chicken and cattle to determine the potential significance of bovine and chicken as infectious sources. During a 5-year period, 154 C. jejuni isolates from these sources were collected and analyzed. Ninety-three SmaI PFGE profiles were generated. Among the indistinguishable profiles, two profiles were shared by chicken, bovine and human isolates, eight profiles were shared by chicken and human isolates, and only one profile was shared by human and bovine isolates.The results obtained suggest a link between sporadic human campylobacteriosis and C. jejuni from chicken and bovine origin. Results also confirm chicken could be an important food source of C. jejuni contamination in Chile, as is described in other countries.